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TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems

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#1: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: davidssfx,

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 9:10 pm
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It seems there are problems with Game Ranger connecting properly when TLD mods use new background images for the different screens ... specifically - Intro, Main, Multiplayer

There is discussion of this in another thread "GJS for tLD"
http://www.closecombatseries.net/CCS/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=8619&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=60

It was suggested to move the discussion to a new thread ... so I'll try and grab/copy some of the discussion, and put it here. Then further comments can be added here

#2: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: davidssfx,

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 9:16 pm
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Cathartes:
here's the new main screen. progress continues.

mooxe:
Mainscreen changes will affect online play at Gameranger. I think Schrecken and Davidssfx figured this out.

davidssfx:
Seems to be true.
I had to abandon my new main screen theme for the Ground Tactics mod, in order for the mod to work with Game Ranger (GR).
If you change any TLD screens that GR has to go through, in the connection process ... then GR won't connect.
The screens GR uses are ... Intro, Main, Multi Player.
After reaching the limit of time I was willing to put into this ... it was determined that replacing just one of those three screens would cause GR not to connect.
If you unpack the CCImages file and keep the original, and then repack ... it still worked ... so that ruled out the unpack/repack process as the culprit.
Put in one new screen and it wouldn't work
Add text to the original ... and it still worked

It's a real head scratcher

After hours and hours of trying to figure out why ... with no definite answer ... I had to surrender, and go back to TLD original screens.
I was able to add "Ground Tactics" text to both the Main and Multi Player screens (for mod identification) ... and still have Game Ranger work.

I would prefer to have the ease of Game Ranger connection without new screens ... than have no Game Ranger, with new screens.
Kind of choked me, after all the effort that was put into the new screens ... but, oh well ...
Game Ranger also requires the ModSwap Plugin version.

Another option would be to have a Game Ranger edition of the mod using ModSwap without new screens, and a ModInstaller version with new screens ... that doesn't work with GR.

Unless, of course, someone can figure out why GR jams up with new screens ...
If you do try and figure out the problem ... you may want to first start by replacing just the Main screen of TLD's CCImages file, and see if it connects.
Apparently mafi's program was used for TLD to unpack/repack ... so it may be best to use it.

In testing ... always try twice, if first time stalls. Sometimes the very first time after a mod is installed ... it stalls, but works fine thereafter.

schrecken:
mooxe

haven't you had any contact with the GR guy regarding a fix?

or at least an explanation why it isn't working... so we can work around that.

thanks

mooxe:
I have not. I am happy with the current state of it and do not wish to spend anymore time asking him about it. If all that needs to be done is to leave the main screen and multiplayer screen alone to have this work, that is the easiest solution.

schrecken:
But a not very Graphically or Mod friendly solution.

Tejszd:
Would be nice Mooxe if you used your contact/influence to get a fix as losing mod specific background graphics is not a good solution (makes it much less apparent to newbies what they are running).

Without a fix, email and or messenger will be what I continue to use when playing online. Though nobody else will see those who play that way thinking CC is dead for online play....

GameRanger comments/discussion is probably best in another thread as this thread is for GJS on TLD! Thank you for the updates Cathartes and for coming back to move/update the mod for the newer CC version!!!!

Cathartes:
My 2 cents: annoying, obscure, gameranger limitation that takes the polish, atmosphere, and fun from present and future mods. Once finished I may try and contact the man behind gameranger myself--I've seen him post on some other forums.

Last edited by davidssfx on Sat Jan 01, 2011 11:53 pm; edited 1 time in total

#3: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: davidssfx,

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 9:54 pm
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Hi Tejszd,
Maybe you could release a beta ModSwap version (of your mod) ... so some testing could be done, to try and resolve this problem?

#4: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: mooxe,

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 11:13 pm
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The fix could be a small change in the intro screen. Put a small label at the bottom indicating which mod is loaded. My only other suggestion would be to post at the GR forums about this. There are other modded games played on GR, there may be another solution. You may have some luck bringing this to the GR forums. I will not contact Scott Kevil anymore because I would simply be a middle man in the whole process.

Quote:

Without a fix, email and or messenger will be what I continue to use when playing online. Though nobody else will see those who play that way thinking CC is dead for online play....

If you choose to play via email and GR hasnt convinced you too change, then you are playing by email for different reasons. Same with MSN. MSN is just a meeting place, BHQ or GS could of done that just as well and connected you.

GR can act as a meeting place.

If GR fails to connect you, you can still play. Option one is to just manually connect. Option two is a bit different. When GR fails to connect you, you can still host a game. When it drops you to main or multiplayer screen, simply host a TCP game. The joiner usually always launches, so as long as the hoster hosts quickly after GR stops moving through the windows, the connection will still happen.

#5: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: Tejszd, Location: Canada

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 11:22 pm
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Thanks for making this its own thread!

Didn't want it taking away from GJS on TLD news/updates....

#6: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: davidssfx,

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 12:00 am
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mooxe wrote (View Post):

If GR fails to connect you, you can still play. Option one is to just manually connect. Option two is a bit different. When GR fails to connect you, you can still host a game. When it drops you to main or multiplayer screen, simply host a TCP game. The joiner usually always launches, so as long as the hoster hosts quickly after GR stops moving through the windows, the connection will still happen.

note: with TLD Ground Tactics mod (using new backgrounds screens) ... and after the connection stalled ... it was not possible to connect manually
Testing was done many times with several different players

#7: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: Stwa,

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 12:07 am
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One of the things I used to chuckle about with every CC mod or game, was the "necessity" to change the BACKGROUND SCREEN ART.

Perhaps the modders, were really into making new background screens. Every new mod, just had to have new art.

I wonder, had Atomic, just created a generic set of background screens, that would have been applicable for all theaters, if that would have sufficed, or would people have changed those as well. Question

#8: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: Tejszd, Location: Canada

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 12:17 am
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The background is something creative to make and lets the player know right away that they are playing something different than the stock game.

#9: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: squadleader_id, Location: Soerabaja

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 12:20 am
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Stwa wrote (View Post):

One of the things I used to chuckle about with every CC mod or game, was the "necessity" to change the BACKGROUND SCREEN ART.

Perhaps the modders, were really into making new background screens. Every new mod, just had to have new art.

I wonder, had Atomic, just created a generic set of background screens, that would have been applicable for all theaters, if that would have sufficed, or would people have changed those as well. Question

A mod for Stalingrad would have looked silly with background screens portraying Normandy Wink

AFAIK Atomic was always againsts CC modding...so no way they were gonna provide us with "universal screens".
Game Ranger needs to fix this bug...having to play GJS with screens of GIs with no Brits is just silly Rolling Eyes

#10: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: mooxe,

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 12:42 am
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For anyone new to the thread....

All classic versions work on GR with mods. The rerelease zombie versions with changed mainscreen and multiplayer screen graphics do not, and only mods that use a plugin manager can be used on GR anyways.

#11: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: mooxe,

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 12:46 am
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Cathartes wrote (View Post):

My 2 cents: annoying, obscure, gameranger limitation that takes the polish, atmosphere, and fun from present and future mods. Once finished I may try and contact the man behind gameranger myself--I've seen him post on some other forums.

The blame lays first with Matrix/Simtek for removing the ability to even have auto-connection feature like the classic ones do. What GameRanger is doing is similar to a macro command. GR is clicking the on screen buttons for you to simulate an automatic connection because there is NO OTHER way to automate it.

#12: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: davidssfx,

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 1:05 am
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mooxe wrote (View Post):

For anyone new to the thread....

All classic versions work on GR with mods. The rerelease zombie versions with changed mainscreen and multiplayer screen graphics do not, and only mods that use a plugin manager can be used on GR anyways.

please note:
TLD works fine with GR.
The only problem is when mods (installed via ModSwap) have new (different) background screens in the mod.
In order to get Ground Tactics to work (connect players properly) ... all that needed to be done was, put back the original background screens.

Also,
A new version of ModSwap was made to work with the new CC releases and is similar to the old Configuration Manager program.
It is very easy to use and works well.
Game Ranger needs to have the ModSwap version of TLD mods because it basically replaces the original TLD files with the modded files ... and Game Ranger can't tell the difference, and therefore connects properly as if you were just playing the original (non modded) game.

Last edited by davidssfx on Sun Jan 02, 2011 2:29 am; edited 1 time in total

#13: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: Tejszd, Location: Canada

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 1:45 am
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It is unfair to blame Matrix/Simtek as Microsoft removed the auto launch feature from newer Direct-X versions. Thus for compatibility with newer Operating Systems with newer Direct-X versions the feature was removed.

#14: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: mooxe,

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 2:01 am
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Cross of Iron kept it, and its compatible with everything.

#15: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: Stwa,

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 3:29 am
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Hmmm.... Cross of Iron stock goes up. Exclamation

Anybody know about CCMT. Question

I am not really worried, but I am thinking I might try some multiplayer soon, if I can find people that use the ARMY UPGRADE mod.

#16: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: davidssfx,

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 10:07 am
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Think I've found a work around for the Main screen ... still needs more testing, but had a new screen load to MP in GR

Thanks DampSquib and diggin.robat for help testing connection

#17: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: davidssfx,

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 10:38 am
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Just did a quick test ... both players with new files ... connected fine

Thanks 0202243 for your help with testing the connection

#18: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: davidssfx,

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 5:35 pm
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see the blue rectangle in the "S" of the word Longest ... that is all that needs to be left of the TLD original screen.
It may be able to be made half as small again (didn't test further). It's small enough as is though.
So if this remains constant (no reason I can think of that it wouldn't) ... then TLD mod new screens should work

mainscreenGT2.0GRfix.jpg

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#19: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: mooxe,

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:17 pm
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Nice.... if I read you right then GR is taking a landmark off the main screen. The buttons GR presses are a certain distance and angle from that landmark.

#20: Re: TLD Mods - New Background Screens/Game Ranger problems Author: davidssfx,

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 10:21 pm
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mooxe wrote (View Post):

Nice.... if I read you right then GR is taking a landmark off the main screen. The buttons GR presses are a certain distance and angle from that landmark.

Hi,
I have no idea how or why this works ...
I just kept reducing the size of the original main screen (by covering over with portions of the new screen image) until it got this small and didn't stall the connection Smile

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